Bed-Stuy has over 100,000 residents. The number of Chinese food, national fast food chains, and chicken/pizza/burger take-out joints, nail salons, barber shops and hair salons are proof that businesses in this neighborhood do not have to worry about losing business from their counterparts.

If 200 people at minimum all went to one market each week, the markets would thrive.

The Youth Market is an entity until itself and because of its structure, it may not be possible to consolidate.

If you talk to Greenmarket, the program of CENYC that runs the Youth Market farm stands, they will tell you that Bed-Stuy did not support their first attempt at having a Bed-Stuy Greenmarket, but found success with the Youth Market model.

The Hattie Carthan Community Market is a collaborative effort between Community Gardeners in the neighborhood and a couple of farms from Upstate NY.

The Malcolm X Community Farmer’s Market is an extension of Bed-Stuy Farm and Brooklyn Rescue Mission. It is only natural that they expand to serve more of the community while increasing awareness of their programs.

These markets are necessary because they offer a variety of possibilities for direct action food sovereignty in Bed-Stuy

What these markets need to thrive are better outreach efforts and a community education component that brings awareness to community food security and sustainable food issues.

Fresh produce is not “fresh” when it has been harvested before ripening, gassed to speed up that ripening process the sun is perfectly capable of doing, to then be shipped thousands of miles to supermarkets that don’t pay their employee fair wages and overcharge their customers.

Supporting farmer’s markets helps to support NY’s economy.

There is so much more to this issue than most realize.

Eventually various markets will be able to successfully co-exist in Bed-Stuy but it will take time. Having the Malcolm X Market and the Youth Market a few blocks away makes people choose between one or the other. Until the markets are strong enough they need to consolidate.

I used to live near Prospect Park and attended the farmers market at Grand Army Plaza every weekend. Having so many choices of fruits, vegetables and more in one place will encourage people to spend more. This would also encourage more farmers to come to this area.

I love farmers markets and I am glad that more are starting in Bed-Stuy, but I would hate to see them all die in their infancy because one is taking business from the other.

It should be consolidated with the thing at Lewis/Decatur just 2 blocks away.

Big colorful signs at Fulton Park pointing the way should help.

That’s a pleasant little block with Peaches, Bread Stuy and the book store across the street.

If I weren’t a member of the Bed-Stuy Farm Share, I’d never go over to Hattie Carthan because it’s too far from my house.

Weekday markets in this neighborhood are difficult, as the people who would most likely support the farmer’s market are working and won’t make it back in time.

Last year, Malcolm X Community Market was hosted on Friday, and the low turnout and response about the day proved it.

Farmers can’t stick around late, as they often have a 2+hour commute and farm responsibilities.

All of the markets need increased visibility.

Wednesday’s Bushwick Market has a good selection, but more foot traffic would help. I bought a nice loaf of Brooklyn-made sourdough, Red Jacket juice, and Trinity Farm peaches.

It’s nice to have options in this neighborhood.

I liked the variety that Migliorelli offers, but Hattie Carthan & Youthmarket are closer to my house, so it depends on how much time and energy I have … I wonder how the Weds Bed-Wick (Bush-Stuy?) Linden St market is doing?

From what I’ve seen, getting anyone to come out has been difficult. Most farms large and small are concerned about their margin. Arguably smaller farms are even more concerned. At lease Migliorelli has economies of scale on their side since they operate in many markets across the city. And to be perfectly blunt: some farms straight up don’t want to come to Bed Stuy because they don’t think they’ll make money and they think its too dangerous.

The point of this post is that it isn’t too late and we can keep Migliorelli there if we can encourage more people to come out. Even as we were being told they would be pulling out this coming week we had a large surge of customers that came through so they may be swayed to stay if we can bring numbers up, which we have been doing, but slowly.

We need to get numbers up either way whether Migliorelli stays or not because the next farm may be singing the same tune.

Darell,

Hattie Carthan is pretty far from the Malcolm X Market so I don’t find it to be competition since they serve a whole other side of this very large neighborhood. As far as the Lewis Ave Youth Market, we’re working on coordinating our efforts.

Dave,

I’m sorry you felt the prices were too high. Migliorelli actually cut some of their prices for our market and some items are more costly at their Union Square outpost. I know in comparision to a supermarket who can afford to buy more volume for a lower unit cost the farmer’s market prices are high but the product at the Malcolm X Market is also fresher which means they last longer in the fridge. If I buy greens or herbs at Fine Fare, they have to get used up in a few days because they’ll go bad. I bought beets at the Malcolm X Market and didn’t cook them until more than a week later and they were fine. I know for me, its worth spending that extra 50 cents or a dollar. Compared to what I’ve seen at Union Square and Ft Greene and Prospect Park, Migliorelli’s prices are pretty competitive. Part oof what makes farmer’s markets to great is that you can interface with the farmer so you can tell MMigliorelli if you think their prices are too high. Try doing that at Foodtown